THE GOLD CUFFLINK IN A DIFFERENT COAT POCKET AND THE VELVET CURTAIN OF GUILT OF THE PURE FIANCÉE AND HER DISTANT COUSIN ON THE NIGHT OF THE FAMILY ENGAGEMENT
Part 1: The Illusion of Perfection and the Shattered Glass
I always thought I was the one holding fate in my hands, until the faint clink of a gold cufflink engraved with the letter “L” fell out of Genevieve’s wool coat pocket and shattered every illusion I had about a perfect marriage to the daughter of the Minister of Brussels. In the grand setting of the family gathering, I stood like the only conscious ghost, silently watching Genevieve in her pristine white silk dress and Lucien, the distant cousin recently returned from Paris, exchange a burning gaze before slipping away from the dinner table one after another.
I walked soundlessly across the velvet carpet, heading toward the glass garden behind the mansion, the air turning ice-cold, yet my chest felt as if it were being burned alive by a slowly forming, merciless intuition. The wind howled through the cracks of the glass doors, blending with strange, suffocating sounds that guided me closer to the darkest corner of the betrayal unfolding right in front of me.
“Lucien, have you lost your mind? The groom and my father are right in the next room!”
“This thrill is exactly what excites me, isn’t it? Admit it, you don’t love that rich fool at all.”
“Stop it… ah, Lucien… be gentler, if anyone sees us, we’re done for.”
“What’s there to fear? That clueless cousin of mine is probably still busy flattering the Minister to win over his future father-in-law.”
“But I can’t cancel the engagement now, my father’s career depends on his company’s funding, you know that.”
“I don’t care about that fool’s money. I only care about how your body is trembling under my hands.”
Hidden behind a marble statue swallowed by shadows, I widened my eyes as the woman I was supposed to marry, usually so refined and dignified, was now pinned against the glass wall by Lucien. Her elegant bun had unraveled, and their lips were entangled in a frantic, shameless embrace. My fingertips tightened around my phone screen, the red recording button blinking like a demonic eye, capturing every obscene moan and filthy whisper beneath my nose.
“You’re so bad, Lucien… but why do I feel like I can’t resist you?”
“Because that so-called fiancé of yours has no idea how to please a Brussels rose like you, right?”
“Don’t… don’t leave marks on my neck, I still have to dance with him in front of the press tonight.”
“Then I’ll kiss the places he’ll never see, so every step you take will remind you of me.”
“Mm… you’re horrible… but hurry up, I need to get back before they get suspicious.”
“Relax, let me taste what a royal bride is like before her wedding.”
A surge of rage rose in my throat, suffocating me, but the rational mind of a seasoned businessman locked every impulse in place, forcing me into cruel silence. I watched the recording continue, already thinking about the grand wedding at the end of the year, the Minister’s reputation, and the most devastating punishment I would prepare for the two people drowning in their own desire.
“Lucien, that cufflink you dropped in my coat the other day… he almost saw it.”
“You worry too much. That busy fool is buried in stocks, how could he notice such small details?”
“You don’t understand. Lately, the way he looks at me feels strange. I’m afraid he’s starting to suspect something.”
“Even if he does, so what? The marriage contract is signed. If he backs out, it’ll cost him a fortune.”
“I don’t want to risk my family’s reputation. After tonight, we should avoid meeting in Brussels.”
“Fine, but on one condition: next week in Paris, you belong entirely to me.”
Every word they spoke felt like a blade piercing my dignity, yet at the same time, it became the very weapon they had handed me to decide their fate. The sound of a zipper and rustling fabric signaled the end of their reckless affair, and I knew I had to withdraw before being discovered.
I stepped back into the shadows of the corridor, pressed stop on the recording, and saved the file into a highly encrypted folder. A cold, deadly smile curved on my lips. Returning to the luxurious chandelier-lit ballroom, I raised a glass of red wine, calmly watching the Minister laugh with the guests, while inside my mind, a destruction plan had already taken shape.
“Darling, where have you been? I’ve been looking everywhere for you to greet the Ambassador.”
“I just went out for some fresh air. The hall felt a bit suffocating. Where did you go, Genevieve? Your cheeks are flushed.”
“What? I… I just went to the powder room to fix my makeup. Do I look nice?”
“You always look perfect, Genevieve. A purity that makes everyone admire and desire you.”
“You’re teasing me. Oh, Lucien is coming back from the garden. Would you like to have a drink together?”
“Hello, cousin. Long time no see. You seem to have more on your mind than a groom should.”
I looked straight into Lucien’s eyes, the arrogant smile of the distant cousin wavering for a moment, then turned to Genevieve, still wearing her flawless mask of elegance, unaware that the verdict on her life had already begun. This was no longer a simple aristocratic engagement. It had become a hunting board, and I was the one holding the final control over both families’ fate.
“Of course, Lucien. I have a surprise for both of you. A gift you’ll never forget.”
“What kind of surprise, darling? Can’t you give us a hint?”
“Exactly, cousin. If it’s something fun, share it with everyone.”
“My intuition tells me that revealing it now would ruin the suspense. Just be patient.”
“You’re making me so curious. Does it have anything to do with our honeymoon in Paris?”
“It concerns all of us, Genevieve. Especially your ‘interesting’ trips with Lucien.”
Genevieve’s face stiffened for a split second. Her eyes flicked toward Lucien in panic, but he quickly reassured her with a confident glance. I finished my wine, the bitterness spreading through my mouth, then turned toward the central stage where the microphone was already set.
The audio file was already connected to the mansion’s central sound system via internal Bluetooth. With just a single touch, this rotten velvet curtain would be torn apart in front of every powerful guest in Brussels. I stood there, finger hovering over the glowing screen, eyes scanning the false faces of my fiancée and her lover beside the Minister, wondering whether to end the performance tonight… or save it for an even more devastating final act on their wedding day.
